Refrigerating apparatus.



T. CARRlGAN & A 1. SWEENEY REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATYON FILED MAY 5. I916- Patented May15, 1917.

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'erally from the bottom of the mixture therewith nrurnn s uares narnrrr enrich.-

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i fipeciflcation of Letters Patent.-

Application filed May 5, 1916, Serial No. 95,521.

be very simply constructed and hence of certain and easy operation, relatively economical to install and of high efficiency. With our improved apparatus We do away entirely with the cumbersome and expensive absorbers ordinarily used, and We also overcome the objectionable loss in "efiiciency now due to the employment of absorbers in these systems.

Our present improvements can be applied to any desired construction or make of absorption system employing a generator,

a condenser and an evaporator or cooling tank. Broadly stated the invention consists in the combination'with any desired or suitable absorption system, of a mechanias a single or multistage pump or a series of rotary pumps) for i nainaqua ammonia or equivalent refrigerant) gen generator to the top thereof and in utilizing a mechani cal device (such as a rotary pump for compressor)for-forcing the gas drawn from the evaporator or cooling tank under a suitably regulated pressure and causing the gas so compressed to be absorbed by the circulating liquor before it enters the liquid pump which thus acts to ing valve in the circulating system'by'means of Whichthefpressure on the-weak liquor circulating'from the generator is reduced to the pressure desired for bringing about the of the gas under prespump, and by means of the liquor pump the circulationv will be maintained and the strong liquor forced back into the enerator against the pressure therein. In t is way We construct a very simple. and eflicient apparatus in which the sure from the gas THOMAS .CARRIGAN,

through the pipes If desired the dehydrator may return the strong liquor We also employ a reduc- 'tion.

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loss of energy now taking place in the absorbers of absorption cally entirely overcome.

machines is practip In order that the invention may be better understood; attention is directed to the accompanying drawing forming spec fication and in which, Figure l illustrates diagrammatically a part. of this ment, of absorption apparatus to which we have appl ed our present improvements,

Fig. 2 ad iagrammatic view illustrating a gang of three pumps arranged in series for effecting the circulation the generator, and Fig. 3

a similar View of a rotary pump arranged in three stages for the same purpose.

T e generator 1 is of dis provided with the 2, or other means b any suitable type, usual steam coils y which the aqua ammonia or other refrigerant is distilled.-

ounted on tower the generator 3 known in the trade as an analyzer 1, is a cylinder and exchanger, the 'function of which will.

be explained, but which with if desired. Above may be dispensed the generator is a dehydrator 4 having cooling coils 5 therein for dehydrating the hot erator. Any water hydrator 6 the two.

be dispensed with.

gas from the genseparated in the deflows back into the generator and 6 which connect Leading from the dehydrator if used, or'if not used then directly from the generator, is apipe 7 which connectswith any well known form of condenser. The condenser lllustrated comprises a coil over whlch cooling water is showered surplus ceiver 9.

being under and any usual receiver a pipelO leads to an evaporator or cooling tank '11, of

' any suitable construc- The form illustrated is of a wellv known type comprising expansion coils 12 located in'a brine tank 13. In the pipe 10 vis the usual expansion or which the pressure will be reby means of needle valve 14,

duced so as to permit the liquid refrigerant to expand in the form of to thereby pansion coils 12 frigerating elfect.

a gas in the exproduce the re- Preferably the expansion of the gas as shown commences a t the bottom and prosuitable arrangeof'the liquor into gresses upwardly through the expansion coils 12, the expanded gas after refrigeration has been secured leaving the evaporator through the pipe 15.

Connected with the lower end of the generator 1 is a pipe 16, which connects with a coil 17 in the analyzer and exchanger 3. From the top of the coil 17 is an extension 18 having a reducing valve 19 therein, and by which the pressure of the circulating liquid can be reduced to the desired point to secure the maximum mixing effect as will be explained. Connected with the pipe 18 beyond the expansion valve 19 is a liquid pump 20, or other mechanical device for forcing the liquid back into the-generator against the pressure thereof, and in this way complete the circulation. We preferably use a rotary-pump for this purpose, for the reason that in the handling of strong ammonia solutions at relatively high temperatures, it is important that the circulating pressure should gradually and progressively increase from minimum to maximum without the danger of permitting any sudden expansion of the ammonia gas as would be likely'to occur with reciprocating pumps. Furthermore, since a very considerable pressure requires to be imposed upon the liquid to force it back into the generator after its pressure has been reduced atthe valve 19, we prefer to make use of a rotary pump having two or more stages, or two or more separate rotary pumps may be arranged in series so as to effect the gradual increase in pressure as will be understood. Thus, in Fig. 3 we illustrate a rotary pump formed in three stages 20, the stages being connected by pipes 2 1*, and in Fig. 2 we illustrate three rotary pumps 20 arranged in series and connected by pipes 24 Preferably, check valves marked 00 are used to prevent back pressure between the stages in Fig. 3, or between the successive pumps in Fig. 2. Multiple stage pumps and two or more pumps connected in series are, of course, well known in many arts, so that details of construction do not require illustration. From the rotary pump or pumps 20 a pipe 21 leads into the upper part of the tower 3 whereby the'strong liquor in entering the generator will be showered over the coil 17 and heat will thus be imparted to the strong liquor before reaching the generator.

In order to cause theuexpanded gas the evaporator 11' to be mixed with the weak liquor after the pressure of the latter has been reduced by the valve 19, it is necessary that the gas shall be positively directed or forced into the weak liquor before the latter enters the pump or pumps 20 so as to be mixed therewith. For this-purpose we use a gas pump 22, preferably of the rotary type, which imparts the desired pressureto the gas from the pipe 15 and forces the gas 'on the discharge side of the liquor pump, so

from

under pressure into contact with the weak. liquor, whereby mixing will take place and the strong liquor thus produced will be forced, as explained, back into the generator. By thus using a mechanical device such as a rotary gas pump for impartingv pressure to the gas, we provide for the certain and definite operation of the apparatus and for the mixing of the gas in the most efficient way in the weak liquor. Ordinarily the gas pump 22 will prevent any back pressure through the same, and the liquor pump 20 will prevent any back pressure from the generator through said pump. But to provide for any special emergency we prefer to make use of a check valve 9.3 on the suction side of the gas pump, and a check valve 24 that in the event of any unexpected rise pressure there may be no reversal of flow theliquor or gas.

In the operation of our improved system we first charge the generator with the desired amount of aqua ammonia, or other refrigerant', and generate pressure therein so as to distil off the ammonia gas, any water being separated by-the dehydrator if used. The pressure in the generator may, of

course, vary within wide limits, but it will ordinarily be in the neighborhood of 180 5 pounds per square inch. In the dehydrator the temperature of the gas will be reduced sufficiently to condense any water, and in the condenser a further reduction in temperature will take place so as to result in a condensation of the gas in the usual way. At the same time a circulation of weak liquor from and strong liquor to the generator takes place throu h the pipe 16, coil 17 pipe 18,"pump 20, an pipe 21, the pressure of the weak liquor being reduced to the desired point by the reducing valve 19. The reduction in'pressure thus secured may also vary within wide limits, but we prefer to effect a reduction to about 50 pounds, more or less. While the liquid circulation is thus being maintained, the gas pump 22 is operating andtakes the expanded gas from the evaporater, forcing the gas under pressure into contact with the circulating weak liquor so that the gas is mixed therewith both before and during the passage through the pump or pumps.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows v 1. In an absorption refrigerating apparatus, the combination with a generator, a condenser and an evaporator, of a mechanical device for effecting a circulation of weak liquor from and strong liquor to the generator, and a mechanical device for imparting sufficient pressure to the gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator as to cause the same to be'absorbed by the circulating liquor, 13 v 1 line leading from the generator,

"der sufiicient' pressure as to be Without effecting a reduction in temperature thereof,substantially as set forth.

2. In an absorption refrigerating apparatus, the combination With a generator, a condenser and evaporator, of a weak liquor a reducing valve therein so as to reduce the pressure of the Weak liquor, a mechanical device for restoring the pressure on the liquor and effecting a return circulation to the generator, and a mechanical device for forcing the gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator under suflicient pressure as to be absorbed by the circulating liquor before pressure thereto is restored, Without e ecting a reduction in the temperature thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. In an absorption refrigerating apparatus, the combination with a generator, a

condenser and an evaporator, of a rotary pump for effecting a circulation of Weak liquor from and strong liquor to the generator, and arotary gas pump for forcing the gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator unabsorbed by the circulating liquor, without efi'ecting a reduction in temperature thereof, substantially as set forth;

4. In an absorption refrigerating apparatus, the combination with a generator, a

condenser and an evaporator, a Weak liquor pipe leading from the generator, a reducing to the generator and valve therein to reduce the pressure of the Weak liquor, a rotary pump for restoring the pressure and returning the strong liquor to the generator, and a. gas pump for forcing the gaseous refrigerant under sufficient pressure as to be absorbed by the lOW pressure Weak liquor, Without effecting a reduction in temperature thereof, substantially as set forth.

5. In an absorption refrigerating apparatus, the combination With a generator, a condenser and an evaporator, of a-Weak liquor pipe leading from the generator, a reducing valve therein, having a plurality of stages connected With the Weakliquor pipe, a strong liquor pipe leading from the discharge of said pump a rotary gas pump for forcing the gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator under suificient pressure as to be absorbed by the low pressure Weak liq uor, Without effecting a reduction in temperature thereof, substantially as and for the purposes setv forth.

This specification signed by us, the said THOMAS CARRIGAN and ANDREW J SWEENEY, and witnessed this 29th day of April, 1916;

THOMAS CARRIGAN. ANDREW J. SWEENEY. WVitnesses ANNA E. BENTON, I W. STRONG.

a rotary liquid pump 

